Operation Hollywood: How the Pentagon Shapes and Censors the MoviesThe only thing Hollywood likes more than a good movie is a good deal. For more than fifty years producers and directors of war and action movies have been getting a great deal from America’s armed forces by receiving access to billions of dollars worth of military equipment and personnel for little or no cost. Although this arrangement considerably lowers a film’s budget, the cost in terms of intellectual freedom can be quite steep. In exchange for access to sophisticated military hardware and expertise, filmmakers must agree to censorship from the Pentagon. As veteran Hollywood journalist David L. Robb shows in this revealing insider’s look into Hollywood’s "dirtiest little secret," the final product that moviegoers see at the theater is often not just what the director intends but also what the powers-that-be in the military want to project about America’s armed forces. Sometimes the censor demands removal of just a few words; other times whole scenes must be scrapped or completely revised. What happens if a director refuses the requested changes? Robb quotes a Pentagon spokesman: "Well I’m taking my toys and I’m going home. I’m taking my tanks and my troops and my location, and I’m going home." That can be quite a persuasive threat to a filmmaker trying to keep his movie within budget. Robb takes us behind the scenes during the making of many well-known movies. From The Right Stuff to Top Gun and even Lassie, the list of movies in which the Pentagon got its way is very long. Only when a director is determined to spend more money than necessary to make his own movie without interference, as in the case of Oliver Stone in the creation of Platoon or Francis Ford Coppola in Apocalypse Now, is a film released that presents the director’s unalloyed vision. For anyone who loves movies and cares about freedom of expression, Operation Hollywood is an engrossing, shocking, and very entertaining book. |
What people are saying - Write a review
Operation Hollywood: how the Pentagon shapes and censors the movies
User Review - Not Available - Book VerdictAlthough the U.S. military has no constitutional authorization to help or hinder the making of commercial films, the various branches of the armed services, the Department of Defense, and intelligence ... Read full review
Contents
Foreword | 13 |
Acknowledgments | 23 |
Censoring James Bond | 29 |
Copyright | |
34 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
actually admiral agreed Air Force allow American approval armed army army's asked assistance Baruch believe called carrier changes character chief clear commander concerns cooperation dated deal Department Department of Defense depicted didn't director eliminated fact film office film's filmmakers final give going Guard head Hollywood idea involved John killed later letter light look major Marine Corps meeting memo military movie navy navy's never notes nuclear operations orders original script Pentagon picture pilot played portrayed positive present president problem producers propaganda reading recalls received recruiting references refused request says scene screen screenplay secretary shoot shot Sims soldiers Star story Strub studio tell things told turned United Vietnam wanted Warner Bros World writer written wrote young
Bibliographic information
| Title | Operation Hollywood: How the Pentagon Shapes and Censors the Movies G - Reference, Information and Interdisciplinary Subjects Series |
| Author | David L. Robb |
| Contributors | Jonathan Turley, Maurice C. Shapiro |
| Edition | illustrated |
| Publisher | Prometheus Books, 2004 |
| ISBN | 1591021820, 9781591021827 |
| Length | 384 pages |
| Subjects | › › Performing Arts / Film / History & Criticism Political Science / American Government / General Political Science / Censorship Political Science / General |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |